Holmes County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Holmes County has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Holmes County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 80 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Holmes County has been designated in 39 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (20), severe storm (7), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 total declarations since 1975.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 32.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 26.5 | 63 | 0 | $8.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 53 | 6 | 0 | $545K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 28.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Holmes County ranks in the 81st percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 77th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 42nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 83rd | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 80 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 39 in 2021–25 (-5% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Holmes County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Holmes County, Florida are hurricane, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Holmes County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Holmes County has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (20 declarations).
Has Holmes County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Holmes County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Holmes County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Walton County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Geneva County, AL has the lowest (Relatively Low). Holmes County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Holmes County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Holmes County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Holmes County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.